FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
Media Contacts:                                              
Rob Wilbanks/Sarah Forman
504-566-5019
rwilbanks@neworleanscvb.com, sforman@neworleanscvb.com                                                                                                                                                            

New Orleans CVB Announces Hiring of New Director of Tourism
17-year industry veteran Tico Soto returns to bureau to help drive leisure visitors to New Orleans

tico

NEW ORLEANS - September 9, 2013 - The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is pleased to announce the appointment of veteran tourism industry professional Tico Soto, CDME, as director of tourism. He returns to the CVB from the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau where he was director of sales since 2005.  Soto served as international sales manager for the New Orleans CVB from 2001 to 2005.

In his role as director of tourism, Soto will report to vice president of tourism Kim Priez and will be responsible for guiding the sales team in prospecting for new business, identifying emerging industry trends and opportunities, and working closely with the CVB's international offices.  He will also coordinate participation in trade shows and sales to domestic and international tour operators, travel agents, travel packagers, online travel agencies, and other leisure travel professionals.

"We're very excited to welcome Tico back to New Orleans to work with our tourism department. His experience, energy, and knowledge of the market will be an invaluable asset to our team," said Stephen Perry, President and CEO of the New Orleans CVB. "As we seek to grow to 13.7 million visitors by 2018, Tico will play a key role in marketing our city and our members to the entire world."

Soto recently completed coursework from Destination Marketing Association International to become a Certified Destination Marketing Executive. He is a past president of the Louisiana Society of Association Executives and a past member of the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association board of directors.

"It's an honor for me to be able to return to New Orleans and the CVB," said Soto. "New Orleans is globally recognized as one of the world's great leisure travel destinations. Working with the tourism sales team here and with our international offices, I strongly believe we'll be able to reach our goal of bringing record numbers of visitors to the city."

Tourism has an economic impact of more than $6 billion in New Orleans, providing 78,000 jobs and critical funding for city services, schools, and infrastructure.  New Orleans' largest industry is committed to a smart growth strategy, with a goal of reaching 13.7 million visitors and $11 billion in visitor spending and the creation of 30,000 jobs by 2018, the city's tricentennial.

The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau is a nationally accredited, 1,100-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. The CVB and its members influence thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding and visitor services at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Frankfurt, London, Paris and Toronto. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB celebrates its 53rd anniversary in 2013. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com, www.facebook.com/neworleanscvb and www.twitter.com/neworleans.

###